Earl Hebert Sr.

Mon, 2014-01-20 15:10

Earl Hebert Sr.

February 5, 1932 — January 18, 2014
Earl Hebert Sr. died Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014, at his home in Berwick after a brief illness.
A true son of Berwick, Earl was born there in 1932 and lived all his life in his beloved town, except for his four years as sergeant in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. After attending Nicholls State University on the GI Bill, Earl served as Berwick town clerk in the 1960’s and as justice of the peace for many years thereafter. He was one of the founders of Fairview Hospital of which he said, “We created that out of nothing.” He served long and proudly on the St. Mary Parish Charter Commission as well as the Morgan City Port Commission. One of his happiest moments was being crowned King of Mardi Gras for Berwick/Bayou Vista in 1988.
Earl worked all his life, starting as a delivery boy for his parents’ grocery store near Berwick Elementary, called Our Little Grocery. Most of his professional career was spent with Diamond Services Corporation, where he started as office manager in 1969 and rose to the position of chief financial officer overseeing a wide range of financial and legal affairs during his 45 years with the company. Earl continued to work at Diamond Services until two weeks ago when he was struck with a heart attack.
He was very peaceful in his last days surrounded by his children and held in love.
True to form he faced his situation with courage, humor and grace. His last wish was to go home, saying “If no one can take me there, I guess I’ll have to walk to Berwick.”
Earl is survived by his wife, Nelwyn Shepherd Hebert; his children, Julie Hebert and her husband, Kenn Norman, of Los Angeles, Earl Hebert Jr. and his wife, Ronna Leonard, of Baton Rouge, Janice Hebert of Portland, Ore., and Brad Hebert and his wife, Trudy, also of Baton Rouge; his grandchildren, Stephan Williams, Alexis Petrakis, Mallie Hebert Bowers, Blake Hebert, Annie and Lily Cormier, Chelsea, Ben, Stephanie and Gracie Hebert; and three great-grandchildren, Bella, Satie and Odile.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Anita Aucoin Hebert; and his son, Mitch Hebert.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Mitch Hebert Scholarship Fund c/o the Nicholls Foundation, P.O. Box 2066, Thibodaux, LA, 70310, www.mitchhebertscholarship.com. Earl and his family created this full scholarship at Earl’s alma mater, Nicholls State, in honor of his son.
Earl had begun writing a memoir that began ... “I didn’t do it my way, I did everything the easy, fun way ... come to think of it, maybe that is my way.”
Visitation will be held today, Monday, Jan. 20, 2014, beginning at 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Twin City Funeral Home and will resume at the funeral home Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2014, at noon until time of service at 2 p.m. Earl will be laid to rest in the Berwick Mausoleum with full military honors provided by the East St. Mary Veterans Funeral Squad.